Nimesis

For me it was like this: 1. Thursday I got an email saying I got into SPPD. No other information besides notification that my admission packet was on the way 2. Friday I got the packet from SPPD with funding information and acceptance letter and some other information specific to the department. 3. Saturday I got the packet from USC Graduate Division with all the other generic graduate school information. I'm aware that some people got the grad division packet before the SPPD packet but the main thing is that the funding information seems to always come WITH the SPPD packet. So if you got a packet from SPPD without funding info then you probably won't get a second packet with funding from what I and others on this board have experienced. Hopefully this helps clear things up.

I applied for the MPP program and got an email notice yesterday followed by a packet from SPPD today with funding information included.

I don't know if this will put anyone else at ease but I got my acceptance email from USC but my online account hasn't updated at all, so I wouldn't put much stock in what it says there.

Just wanted to let anyone else who applied to USC know that I received notice of acceptance today for the MPP program. No details about funding or any other information. They said a packet would be sent out in a few days.

Berkeley said they'd be sending admission notices out by mid-March so I'd expect to hear from all of the schools either late February or early to mid March. Its gonna be a long wait...

I guess I'll just wait and see what happens because I'm sure they were out of the office for the holiday break and they're just getting to the apps now. I feel like bothering them a lot with admissions questions is going to give you negative attention in the application process so I don't really want to contact them.

Did anyone who applied to Berkeley get any kind of email over the past week or so confirming receipt of all application materials? I was told by the admissions office they would be sending out confirmation emails over the "next few weeks", and that was on December 1st.

Anyone applying to USC should make sure they get their application submitted before the December 15th deadline because otherwise you won't be considered for funding. Reading through some of the older threads on this forum its pretty clear that USC is very generous with funding with some applicants getting half or even full-tuition in some cases. Make sure you don't miss out on that opportunity.

There is a similar topic in the Applications forum, but I wanted to ask this question to people applying for MPP/MPA or similar programs. I'm applying to 5 schools and I'm wondering if that's enough so I was hoping to get some feedback/guidance from others. Also wanted to try and rejuvenate this forum, which has been dead for the past week or so...

I don't know if anyone else has applied to Texas schools, but the ApplyTexas system seems to me to be completely backwards, especially in terms of the way it handles the LoR process. It will not allow you to submit letter notifications to your recommenders until you've submitted your application. This means you have to complete everything well in advance before your recommenders will be given a notification and it forces people to send in separate paper/snail mail recommendations instead of using the online system. I'm not sure how that benefits the school or how it makes sense for them to have their system work the way it does... It seems like promoting the use of snail mail would just increase the probability that things get lost in the system or misplaced.

I noticed you're applying to a lot of great schools. How come you didn't apply to Goldman?

Yeah I'm almost positive I'm going to be applying for the MPP as well because like you I have a specific area of interest and you're right the MPA doesn't allow for policy area specialization. The small class size is a good thing in terms of actually being in the program. I was referring to it as a negative in the application process because it seems like they would take a lot less applicants for that program than for the MPA program if the MPA is the larger of the two. Have you finished submitting your application?

Which program did you apply to at SPPD? I'm probably going to apply to the MPP program, but I'm not sure about it because I know the MPA program is the larger of the two. It seems like there's a lot of overlap between the two degrees in terms of curriculum, with the MPA having more flexibility as far as electives. I'd probably lean towards the MPP because the quantitative skills you get from it would make you a better job candidate.

Wanted to bump this topic and ask people how their applications are doing. I submitted Berkeley's yesterday (kind of late I know) and I'll start trying to finish up USC and UCLA next week along with LBJ and Evans. How is everyone else doing? There has to be more people posting on this topic because we've got more views on this forum than on any other forum on GradCafe.

Program Applied To (MPA, MPP, IR, etc.): MPP, MPA Schools Applied To: Berkeley (GSPP), USC (SPPD), UCLA, University of Washington (Evans), and University of Oregon (PPPM) Schools Admitted To: Schools Rejected From: Still Waiting: Undergraduate institution: Small private university Undergraduate GPA: 3.78 Last 60 hours of Undergraduate GPA (if applicable): 3.85 Undergraduate Major: Political Science (minor in History) GRE Quantitative Score: 730 (77%) GRE Verbal Score: 640 (92%) GRE AW Score: 6 (99%) Years Out of Undergrad (if applicable): 3.5 Years of Work Experience: 3.5 Describe Relevant Work Experience: Interned at American Red Cross and Mental Health Association of San Francisco after coming out of college. Spent a year and a half working for a small medical billing company and most recently spent a year working at a non-profit organization called the Foundation for Health Coverage Education as a research associate. Strength of SOP (be honest, describe the process, etc): Work in progress. Focusing mainly on how my various work experiences have provided valuable exposure to various aspects of the healthcare system and how that would benefit me in a health policy career. Strength of LOR (be honest, describe the process, etc): Two academic references from professors who will write pretty strong references and one professional from my most recent boss. Other: I am focusing mainly on applying to schools on the West Coast since I live in the Bay Area and for health reasons I am somewhat limited and have to stay in state. With my average GRE scores and relative little work experience I know Berkeley is probably a long shot, but that's my number one choice. I wouldn't mind going down to either USC or UCLA, but I'm wondering if I am applying to enough schools.

Does anyone know anything about the MPA program at the University of Oregon?